Social Media for Recruiting
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This article on cnn.com talks about how companies are increasingly using social media to recruit new hires. All of the companies mentioned are somehow in a web/IT/high tech field, so maybe that accounts for why they are having success with this kind of recruiting.
The example that leads off the article is about a company that provides tools for testing computer networks. The VP of marketing sent out a "tweet" (on Twitter) letting followers know the company was looking for a new marketing director. The man they eventually hired heard about the job from a former colleague who does business with the company and received (and then forwarded) the tweet.
I think it's an interesting concept in terms of how it could allow you to target a very specific audience. But does this sort of recruiting have real value in a field that isn't somehow already tech-related? Would it work for manufacturing, retail, education, etc.? Have any of you tried using Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist (seems that one would add a whole new list of worries/problems to the mix), LinkedIn, or any other social media (see the poll above)? Had any success?
This article on cnn.com talks about how companies are increasingly using social media to recruit new hires. All of the companies mentioned are somehow in a web/IT/high tech field, so maybe that accounts for why they are having success with this kind of recruiting.
The example that leads off the article is about a company that provides tools for testing computer networks. The VP of marketing sent out a "tweet" (on Twitter) letting followers know the company was looking for a new marketing director. The man they eventually hired heard about the job from a former colleague who does business with the company and received (and then forwarded) the tweet.
I think it's an interesting concept in terms of how it could allow you to target a very specific audience. But does this sort of recruiting have real value in a field that isn't somehow already tech-related? Would it work for manufacturing, retail, education, etc.? Have any of you tried using Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist (seems that one would add a whole new list of worries/problems to the mix), LinkedIn, or any other social media (see the poll above)? Had any success?
Comments
Facebook - FB is an incredibly effective tool for me. I use it to e-mail my staff, chat in real time with staff or catch up with former staff, post photos and videos of staff events, etc. We also have a company page with over 800 fans who use FB to post their own comments and interact with our other guests.
FB has definitely been an effective recruiting tool for me. I have a "HR" profile with 611 friends. Almost all my friends are staff or former staff. When I post a fun video of our summer staff going to a water park or playing kickball, my posts can be viewed by all the friends of my 611 friends.
Twitter - people love Twitter but I am not convinced it will be a useful tool for me. I have about 100 people "following" my Twitter feed.
LinkedIn - I am on it but I rarely check it.
Craigslist - CL is the new yellow pages/classified. Its the first place I turn for almost anything. I haven't advertised for jobs here but I think its definitely something employers should check out.
I dont think its necessarily about motivation or initiative. Its about where people go to FIND jobs. If applicants today are looking on Craigslist and you are still advertising in the want ads, then they wont know about your jobs to be able to come in and apply.
You forgot, "holding your HR Hero coffee mug in the other hand". Unfortunately, I do not use any of the above to recruit. The majority of my driver applicants don't even own a computer.:-/
[B]Just kidding, people![/B]